Summit or Sucker?

My fun, secondary, part-time retail employer recently offered their most favorable employee pricing, here-in-after “Summit Pricing” or “Summit”, to all current employees for a limited time period.  This was in contrast to their Holiday behavior of years past, in which employees could purchase only a single item at this more-attractive-than-usual  Summit rate.  Last year I took advantage of their offer to purchase a nice reel for muskie fishing, a Diawa Lexa 300 (high-speed/power version.)  I was pleased to access this reel for the price I paid; and yet I recognized that my employer hadn’t necessarily “given” me anything, and in fact, they had easily acquired my relatively hard-earned dollars.

Well, this year an additional muskie/striper reel was on my list (an Abu Garcia Revo NaCl 60 HS), and I gladly availed myself to one at their steep discount.  But I still recognized and felt that same conflict.  Should I simply say “thanks” for the gift, or should I begrudge this actualization of indentured servitude?

I look forward to many years of service and many large fish landed with this.

I worked all weekend.  I mean, I WORKED ALL weekend.  I worked hard and as effectively as possible.  The money spent on the reel represents a pretty good portion, if not all, of the weekend’s wages.  I’m there partially for the access to this equipment, and partially to help support my fishing habit(s).  So “thanks” for the Revo; it’s exactly what I want for 2015, and I got it for a fraction of the regular cost.  Moreover, it’s my time, effort and money, so I’ve got all the information I need to evaluate this transaction.  For a single weekend’s efforts, I’ve received a fine reel that should last a very long time and which will be involved only with big, memorable fish.  That seems like a good deal to me at this time; I repeat my thanks.

Meanwhile, I watched my co-workers shop all weekend.  For the most part, these are not wealthy folks, but most were going to town.  The more they spent, the more they saved!  The more they saved, the more they spent.

I too felt the powerful tug of this downward spiral.  I resisted pretty well, but I did partially succumb.  Before the weekend was over, I’d acquired some miscellaneous stuff for the upcoming ice fishing season, some socks, some dog treats for Ollie, various fishing lines, and a few other items.  So whatever money I’d saved, I’d certainly spent; and then some!

Now I’d most likely have bought all this stuff later, anyway, and at higher prices to boot.  It probably makes fiscal sense for me to have acquired this stuff when I had this opportunity.  And yet I can’t help but feel a little bit like a sucker, one which can only say “Thanks for relieving my wallet of those burdensome dollars.”

The Sucker; a personal favorite

The Sucker; torn between two worlds

It’s a good thing that I have a certain soft spot in my heart for suckers, and it’s another good thing  that I’m in a position in my life that I can honestly say we’re not dealing with anything of importance here.  I limited myself to my current version of pocket money, and the daydream of using this stuff properly and successfully in 2015 (and well beyond) is currently priceless to me.  It is, after all, that time of year when the boats are away, the ice is not safe, and the prospects of actually participating in enjoyable fishing experiences are low.

Suckers are easy to hook and catch.  Believe me, I know this from personal experience!

The Sucker